The Milwaukee Bucks have gone through several roster changes lately, most notably swapping out veteran wing Khris Middleton for Kyle Kuzma in a trade deadline shocker.
Now, with an open roster spot, the Bucks are expected to add another player who could fill a need in their quest to compete for a championship. One player who was reportedly on their radar is now off the table. Per The Sacramento Bee's Jason Anderson, Markelle Fultz drew interest from the Bucks, among several other teams, before signing with the Sacramento Kings recently.
Signing Fultz would have made sense for the Bucks previously
Fultz would have been an interesting flyer for the Milwaukee Bucks prior to the NBA Trade Deadline.
While he's never lived up to the standard of being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Fultz carved out a nice role as a defensive playmaker during his recent stint with the Orlando Magic. With Delon Wright not living up to the hype and Ryan Rollins still being inexperienced, Markelle Fultz would have been an eye-catching addition to Milwaukee's pre-trade deadline backcourt.
One reason Fultz to Milwaukee never happened was likely due to the team adding Kevin Porter Jr. in a last-second deal at the deadline. With the move, the Bucks added a combo guard who can serve as a backup ball-handler. As evidenced by Milwaukee's recent game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, there's a lot to like about Porter on the court, as he can clearly help this team.
While the two could co-exist, it makes sense to give the keys to Kevin Porter Jr. and keep that roster spot open to fill another roster hole, such as a lack of small forward depth.
Understanding that the Milwaukee Bucks already have Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins earning time behind Damian Lillard, it makes sense that Fultz would choose the Kings over them, as there's a good chance he will earn more minutes there as he fights for an NBA comeback.
For now, Milwaukee's roster spot remains open. While it still feels like they will use that 15th spot on Ryan Rollins, who is running out of eligibility on his two-way deal, there are countless other players out there who could fill out the roster. The front office will have time to do some extra homework on possible options as the NBA All-Star festivities get underway.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.